K-Beauty’s Top Neurotoxin Just Launched in the U.S.

After much anticipation, Hugel’s Letybo has officially launched in the U.S., adding another player to the competitive neurotoxin space. The neurotoxin, which has been widely used in Korea and other markets, is expected to offer a compelling alternative to Botox Cosmetic, Dysport, Jeuveau and Daxxify for smoothing wrinkles.

Featured Experts

• Dr. Kenneth Beer is a board-certified dermatologist in West Palm Beach, FL
• Dr. Michael Kane is a board-certified plastic surgeon in New York
• Dr. Farhaad Riyaz is a board-certified dermatologist in Northville, MI

How Letybo Compares to Other Toxins

“With the approval of Letybo, there are now six type A toxins available in the U.S.,” says West Palm Beach dermatologist Kenneth Beer, MD. Like its predecessors, Letybo has been FDA-approved for use on glabellar lines (frown lines between the brows). While all these injectables work by temporarily relaxing muscles to soften wrinkles, each varies slightly in formulation and dosing. “The number of units recommended is 20 for the glabella, which is the same as all except for Dysport, which has its own unit measure and has units that are three times as big as the others,” explains Dr. Beer.

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How Letybo Got Here

Letybo, Korea’s top-selling neurotoxin, received FDA approval in early March 2024, but its U.S. launch was delayed due to internal restructuring within its parent company, Hugel. “A launch is a big deal. It’s harder than it sounds like it should be,” explains New York plastic surgeon Michael Kane, MD. “You’ve got to get all your people there, all your materials, everything done. It took them a year to launch, but that’s okay.”

Despite being new to the U.S., Letybo has been extensively studied, with research confirming its efficacy and similarity to Botox. “There was one head-to-head study done about 10 years ago. You know, people rarely do that, and there was not really anything very different, which I think Hugel likes,” says Dr. Kane. “They came out of the study as very, very similar to Botox.”

The injectable enters the U.S. market as a proven, safe, and effective botulinum toxin says Northville, MI, dermatologist Farhaad Riyaz, MD. “Its duration is supposed to be comparable to Botox, lasting around three to four months, but with a slightly faster onset, taking effect in about two to three days,” he explains.

What’s Next?

With approval secured, the focus now shifts to availability and pricing. This is an exciting new development in the injectable space and we can’t wait to see how patients respond to it. With six FDA-approved neurotoxins now available, we love that there are more options than ever for treating those pesky number 11s.